Youth Work and Social Networkinghttp://blogs.nya.org.uk/ywsn

Oxford Internet Institute Social Networking Conference

April 7th 2008

Young people network photo by ranflickr, (http://flickr.com/photos/rainforestactionnetwork/. Creative Commons Non-Commercial Attribution licensed)

Youth Work• Statutory sector youth service

established in the 1960s• Young person centred model – starting

where young people are• Informal education, associational,

group work - moving beyond where young people start

• Resourcefulness, Resiliency, Resolve

Youth Work• 4,225 (3,630 FTE) Youth

Workers, • 17,000 (3,900 FTE) Youth

Support Workers• In contact with average

27.5% of local 13 – 19 year old population

• Works with excluded groups

Source: NYA Audit, 2005-6 (www.nya.org.uk)

Youth Work and Social Networking

• Literature review

• Survey

• Focus groups

• Action research

49 % of internet users aged 8 to 17have set up social networking profiles

Increased online opportunitygoes hand in hand withincreased risk to young people

Young people have contradictoryattitudes towards safety online

Keeping in contact Sharing content

Exploring identityHanging out

Making new contacts

Informallearning

www.flickr.com/photos/28859335@N00/120018144

http://flickr.com/photos/mshades/169570194/ http://flickr.com/photos/loosepunctuation/959524837/

http://flickr.com/photos/morgantepsic/176795867/

http://flickr.com/photos/lewiselementary/152620388/

http://flickr.com/photos/andreasnilsson1976/530776998/

Youth Work and Social Networking

• Online survey of 120 youth workers, support workers, administrators and managers

• December 2007 – January 2008

Opportunities for young people

• Increased opportunities for self expression (64%)

• Developing wider range of contacts in the UK and internationally (60%)

• Getting involved in real world positive activities (31%)

Risks to young people• Bullying (53%)• Disclosing personal

information (35%)• Abuse and exploitation

(29%)• Too much time on

computer (23%)• Risks from sexual

predators (22%)

Opportunities for youth work

Social network sites already being used for:

• Promotion and recruitment• Keeping in contact• Engagement &

participation• Sharing media from

groups and events

Youth Work and Social Networking

• 90% believe youth work has a crucial role supporting young people to navigate risks of social networking.

• 85% believe youth work has a crucial role supporting young people to make the most of the opportunities of social networking

Challenges

90%believe that they

have a crucial role supporting young people to navigate

risk

42% feel equipped to

provide that support.

44% believe web filters to be effective way

to manage risk

81% find web filters are used in their work

settings

86% believe that

training for youth workers would be

effective in maximising

support for young people

29% have received such training

29% have access to

SNS in their work settings

Where next?(Very early suggestions arising from the research…)

• Resources and training

• Examples of good practice

• A focus on ‘capacity building first’

• Wider consideration of impact of technology on young people

http://www.nya.org.uk/research http://blogs.nya.org.uk/ywsn

17th May 2008http://www.ukyouthonline.org

tim@practicalparticipation.co.ukhttp://www.timdavies.org.uk

Links to credits for Creative Commons photos from Flickr.com are included on images.

Graphics by Small Kid Design (http://www.smallkid.co.uk/)